Never thought the IOC would have the stones, but the Russian Olympic Committee has been banned from the 2018 Winter Games. There's a path for "clean" athletes to compete, but not under the Russian flag. They will instead compete under the name "Olympic Athlete from Russia (OAR)" and under the Olympic flag.

And yes, I harbor (all too likely vain) hopes that this can stay out of R&P.

Humans sleep soundly in their beds because rough cats stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.

Interesting. I feel that not being allowed to go to the olympics is a great shame on them.

An article on ESPN says that the Russian pro hockey league, the KHL, won't let its players go to the Olympics (NHL had already decided to keep its players out a year or so ago) if they can't skate as Russia and under the Russian flag.

Humans sleep soundly in their beds because rough cats stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.

I can't help but feel like ousting a country from something like the olympics, which i consider to be a sort of multi national peace meeting, is a major insult. Maybe i have too high of an opinion of it as a world event.

Looking for Knowledge wrote:

When drunk.....I want to have sex, but find I am more likely to be shot down than when I am sober.

I can't help but feel like ousting a country from something like the olympics, which i consider to be a sort of multi national peace meeting, is a major insult. Maybe i have too high of an opinion of it as a world event.

I think you're right about the insult, but the evidence that has been played on 60 minutes and so on is rather compelling in support of this. I think it is good that the IOC is providing a route for clean players to compete anyway.

No flag and no anthem played if an OAR athlete wins. Definitely an interesting alternative to a blanket ban on Russian athletes. Given the statements made by Russian sports officials already, they definitely consider it a major insult.

Putin has spent serious cash building up Russia in international sports, so will be fun to see his official reaction and decision tomorrow on how he plans to handle it. He most assuredly will take it as a slap in the face, would be surprised if Putin didn't announce something retaliatory in response.

Wow, that sends a strong message. Especially coming on the heels of 2014 that Russia themselves hosted.

It is good that the IOC has provided the provision of OAR, and it would be interesting to see if Russia's Olympic Committee actually allows their athletes to register via OAR, or tells them not to, by way of sending a response.